Florida Gulf Coast League Announces Opening Day Events This Thursday

The Florida Gulf Coast League (FGCL) will open its inaugural season on Thursday, June 18, at Palma Sola Park in Bradenton, Florida with softball legend and ESPN broadcaster Michele Smith at the event to throw in the first pitch of this history-making league.

One of the most recognizable names in softball, Smith is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, collegiate All-American and USA Softball Hall of Fame Honoree,

She is also currently ESPN’s lead college softball color analyst and one of the voices for the network’s broadcasting of the Women’s College World Series.

A graduate of Oklahoma State University, she currently resides in Florida.

Joining Smith at the first pitch ceremony will be Shelly Riker, a member of Univ. of South Florida Softball Hall of Fame. Riker was a four-year starter at USF and holds records for stolen bases at the university.

Currently, Riker is the executive and youth pastor at the Church on the Rock in Palmetto, Florida.

The emcee will be Gray Robertson, an SEC Network+ broadcaster, Crimson Tide Sports Network softball analyst and co-host of the Out of the Box podcast.

The FGCL is a 501C-3 organization based out of Bradenton, Fla. The league consists of seven teams competing over five weeks. Players represent more than 56 schools and all divisions of collegiate softball.

Click HERE to see the 2020 Summer Schedule for the Florida Gulf Coast League and roster of the teams